Coal-distributer.



E. L. VISE & O. DBNHAM.

GOAL DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1912.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- INVENTORS ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 7

ELMER I1. VISE ANDGHARLES DENI-IAM, OF WEST TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

COAL-DISTRIBUTER.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

Application filed March 23, 1912. Serial'No. 685,775.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELMER L. Vrsn and CHARLES DENHAM, citizens of the United States, residing at West Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented an Improved Goal-Distributer, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an apparatus whereby coal is discharged from a primary distributer-upon another which is in the nature of a chute adapted to deliver diiferent grades of coal to different receptacles, especially cars for transportation.

The details of construction, arrangement, and operation of parts are as hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the entire apparatus. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the first or primary distributing chute. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the main coal distributing chute, as viewed in perspective. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the pivoted gates arranged and locked in alinement with one of the fixed sectional partitions- Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of the distributing chute or platform showing the arrangement of the fixed angular and longitudinal sectional partitions.

The working parts of the apparatus are arranged in and supported by a frame comprising vertical posts 1 and inclined. top bars 2. The first distributing chute A has a trough-like form and is constructed of sheet metal and with lateralflanges which rest on and are secured to the aforesaid bars 2 of the frame. Directly below this chute and inclined at a greater angle, is the main distributing chute B. The body of the chute A has four segmental partitions 3, 4, 5, and 6, the same being arranged transversely and just below four openings 7, 8, 9, and 10 from which are pendent four spouts 11, 12, 13, and 14 that serve for the discharge of coal upon the distributing chute or platform B. The lower end of the chute is provided with a hood and spout 15 which is arranged in a pendent position and slightly inclined backward, so as to deliver upon a particular portion of the main distributing chute B, as will be further explained. The upper end of the chute A is closed by a bulkhead 16 and procoal drops through the smaller mesh of the screen; the coal of next coarser grade, known as nut, falls through the next screen section; the third grade or size of coal, known as egg 7, falls through the succeeding screen section; the next largest rade of coal, known as four-inch lump, falls through the last section or largest mesh of the screen; and the largest size of all, known as domestic passes out of the lower open end of the cylinder. These. different grades or sizes of coal fall downward into the several compartments of the chute which are provided with the openings 7, 8, 9, and 10, and thence descend through the spouts 11, 12, 13, and 14,correspondingly, and are delivered into compartments in the distributing chute B, as will be further described. The coal which passes over the lower end of the chute A, and through the inclined hood and spout 15 is deposited in the lower compart- I As shown in Fig. 3, the platform is elongated and provided with parallel outer sides 19 and three intervening, sectional partitions 20, 21, and 22 which are also arranged longitudinally parallel and serve to form longitudinal coal chutes or passages 23, 24:, and 25, all of which open at the lower end of the platform B. The alined sections of the partitions 20, 21, and 22 are separated by narrow spaces, and, in the case of the two partitions 20 and 22, the gateways or openings are closed by hinged gates. In the case of the sectional partition 20, the gateways are provided with gates 26, 26 27, and 28, and in the case of the other sectional parti tion 22 the gateways are provided with gates lines, and may be locked in different posi-- tions as will be presently described.

In the wide space provided between the sec-' tional partitions 21 and 22, there is arranged a series of fixed partitions which are located at a right angle to each other and spaced apart in the length of the platform, so as to practically divide the space in which they are located into five hoppers, or receiving compartments, indicated by letters a, b, 0, d, and 6. Each of the partitions has a long and short side indicated respectively, by numerals 33 and 33 The lower end of each long side 33 abuts the longitudinal sectional partition 21 and each of the short sides 33 is provided with a latch or locking device 34 which is adapted to engage in one of the gates 29, 29*, etc. A long gate is pivoted at the apex 35 of the angle of the fixed partitions 33, 33 and is adapted to swing laterally, as shown by full and dotted lines. These gates are indicated by numerals 36, 36 36 and 36.

In the chute or coal passage formedbetween the adjacent partitions 20 and 21, there is formed a series of openings or scuttles 37 37 37 and 37 that serve for downward passage of coal into and through spouts 38, 38 38 and 38, these several spouts serving'to deliver int-o cars running on tracks laid beneath the distributing chute B, as indicated in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the different kinds or grades of coal delivered from the respective spouts 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the receiving chute A are deposited in the respective compartments or hoppers of the distributing chute B, the same being indicated by a, b, 0, d, and 6. When the coal has been thus deposited in the respective compartments, it may be directed in various downward courses into or through the several chutes or passages 23, 24, and 25, this being practicable by the manipulation of the pivoted gates before described. For example, inFig. 3, the gates are adjusted to direct slack coal from the upper compartment 0 into the side chute 25, which it will follow to the end of the chute and pass off the same. It will be seen that the gate 36 is, for this purpose, adjusted to the left and that the short gate 29 is in alinement with the short fixed partition 33 thus leaving the passageway from the compartment a to the chute 22 perfectly clear. On the other hand, nut coal delivered into the second compartment 6 will pass therefrom into the left-hand chute 24 and thus into the opening or scuttle 37 a and down through the spout 38, this being efiected by adjustment of the long gate 36 to the right; again, egg coal delivered into the hopper or compartment 0 may be directed downward into the next compartment below, d, and laterally through the chute or passage 24 and into the chute or passage 23 and thus off the end of the platform. For this purpose, it will be seen that the short gate 27 is adjusted in alinement with and locked to the sectional partition 22 and that the short gate 28 of the sectional partition 20 is adjusted to the right. It will be seen that by this arrangement the egg coal coming from compartment 0 will mingle with the lump coal deposited in compartment (Z, so that both together pass out across the chute 24 and into and out of the outside chute 23. The different grades of coal may in this way be directed through the several spouts, 38, 38, etc., and off the lower end of the platform B into cars or other receptacles below any may be mixed with each other, when desired.

What we claim is 1. The improved coal-distributing apparatus, comprising a primary distributing chute having a series of openings and spouts pendent therefrom and a main distributing chute arranged beneath the first-named one and provided with compartments arranged directly under the several spouts of the upper distributer, the said compartments being in turn provided with openings and pendent spouts for final delivery into cars or other receptacles, as described.

2. The improved coal distributing chute,

comprising an inclined platform having,

series of sectional longitudinal partitions, a series of fixed partitions composed of long and short sides arranged in the central space on the platform, long gates pivoted at the apex of the fixed partitions and adapted for adjustment right and left, and a series of shorter gates adapted for adjustment in line with the shorter fixed partition and in line with the adjacent sectional longitudinal partition for directing coal from a compartment into the right hand chute or passage or from said compartment into the one next below, substantially as described.

3. The improved coal distributing chute, comprising an inclined platform having parallel sectional partitions between two of which there is formed a series of scuttles having a corresponding series of spouts, fixed partitions arranged at an angle to each other and provided with swinging gates adapted for lateral adjustment for directing coal from a compartment above the partition laterally into the longitudinal passage and thus to the scuttle, substantially as described.

4. The improved coal distributing chute, comprising an inclined platform having par allel sides and three parallel sectional partitions which divide the platform into three longitudinal coal chutes or passages, one of which is provided with a series of scuttles,

the two outer sectional partitions havinga seed to close the openings therein or to swing 10 ries of swinging gates for closing the openinto alinement with the short fixed partition, ings giheigein, a serges of fiXe-ddpartitions comsubstantially as described.

pose 0 long an short si es arranged at an angle to each other in the Wide space be- AM tween tWo of the sectional partitions, a long gate pivoted at the apex of each angle of the Witnesses: fixed partitions, and short gates pivoted to HARRY F. FISBEOK,

the right hand sectional partition and adapt- WILLIAM W. KAUFMAN.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by'addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

